On the Merits of Unnaturalness Read Free

that the Gift is more
likely to appear in Women than it is in Men.
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    UNREADABLE. This is a particularly
distinctive and disquieting Type of Clairvoyance, one I have placed tentatively
into the Order of the Furies. The Unreadable is a secondary Type of
Clairvoyance, the only known Example of a clairvoyant being able to move from
one Order to another. An Unreadable is created when a traumatic Event forces a
clairvoyant Individual’s Dreamscape
into total Collapse. This is a similar phenomenon to Spirit Shock, although
there are several subtle Differences. 22 Once the Dreamscape has Collapsed, it
regenerates with a thick Armour that no Spirit can penetrate. The Clairvoyant becomes invulnerable
to both spiritual Attack and Possession, but at the expense of his or her
previous Abilities. However, as an Aura remains, they may still use spiritual
Combat and sense Spirits. The Unreadable has been classified as a Fury because
their ‘Power’ involves a Transformation, much like the Powers of the Sibyls and
Berserkers.
    22 Spirit Shock, a Condition arising from a
sudden Inability to connect with the Æther, is a much more
dangerous Sickness than the Process of becoming Unreadable. Unreadability is
related to the Dreamscape, while Spirit Shock, as the Name suggests, directly
affects the Spirit. The most undesirable Outcome of Spirit Shock is total Loss
of Aura, leading to Amaurosis or even Death, as opposed to the Growth of an
armoured Dreamscape, which characterises an Unreadable and may be considered an
Asset.

THE
 
    R isking an undesirable Association with the
woollen Garment, I have named the seventh Order the JUMPERS . The Jumpers are the highest and greatest of my
Seven Orders of Clairvoyance, for they have no dependence whatsoever on Spirits
or on Numa, and are not subject to any permanent internal Change. Instead they
have the unique Ability to affect, or even enter, the Æther as they see fit. As
I have never encountered a Jumper on my travels through the Citadel, I can only
assume that they are the rarest of us all. Alas, all promising Cases have been
marched to the Gallows by Zettler , and consequently, I have been unable to study
them in Detail. Consequently, this final Section is largely based upon
Conjecture.
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    DREAMWALKER, 23 also called the SPIRIT WALKER . A superlative Gift, difficult to compare with
any other. According to my Theory, the Dreamwalker has the Power to leave his or
her Dreamscape (this Act might be called Dislocation ) and take on a
pure spirit Form, allowing them to wander in the Æther and in other Dreamscapes.
This is a Feat unheard of in clairvoyant Society, as all other Clairvoyants
would be driven mad by attempting to step away from the Centre of the Dreamscape. The
Dreamwalker may be able to possess the Bodies of other People; perhaps even the
Bodies of Animals. I propose, however, that the Gift may also cause some Degree
of Damage to the Dreamwalker, as their physical Body would be left unguarded
during these spiritual Escapades.
    23 See the first Footnote for the FURIES if you suspect you may
be a Dreamwalker. It is imperative that you align yourself with a clairvoyant
Group as soon as possible, for Safety’s sake. But be sure to write first!
Recording the Details of your Gift is of paramount Importance for future
Reference.
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    ORACLE. Well documented, but
extremely rare. Of similar Merit to the Dreamwalker, but without the Capacity to
possess another Individual. I suggest that the Oracle would possess a Variety of
subtle but potent Abilities, primarily the Ability to send visual or aural
Messages through the Æther. Provided they have encountered their Aura before,
they may be able to send a Message to any Clairvoyant, no matter where they are.
The Oracle may also gain Flashes of Insight from the Past, Present and Future in
a similar Fashion to the Methods used by SOOTHSAYERS , but without the use of a Numen. This lack of
Dependence on an Object makes the